Shaft-tug.



Patented Dec. 26, 1899. J. K. CHRISTY.

SHAFT TUG.

(Applicatioq filed. June 13, 1898.)

(No Model.)

P175272 ess es UNITED STATES ATLNT ()FFICE.

JOHN KIRK OHRISTY, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

SHAFT-TUG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 640,157, dated December 26, 1899.

Application filed June 13, 1898. serial No. 683,373. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN KIRK OHRIs'rY, a citizen of the United States of America, residingat Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combination Shaft-Tugs and Holdbacks for Harnesses, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a simple, durable, and inexpensive combinationhshaft-tug and holdback for use with single harness, and is designed to simplify the hitching up or harnessing of a horse to a single-horse vehicle or to a vehicle wherein a tandem arrangement of horses is used.

The object which I have in View is to provide a combination shaft-tug and holdback wherein the holdback-straps remain buckled at all times and by the use of which it is necessary in hitching the horse to a singlehorse vehicle only to buckle up or fasten the shaft-tug straps about the shafts.

To these ends my invention consists in the construction and-combination of parts, hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims and will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which-- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the shafttug strap and shows the connection between the shaft-tug strap and the holdback-strap. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of a harness, showing my novel shaft-tug and holdback in use in connection with special means provided on the shaft (shown in dotted lines) for preventing the shaft-tug from slipping longitudinally of the shaft. Fig. 3 is a general perspective View of a single harness equipped with my holdback and shaft-tug.

As shown in the drawings, 2 represents the harness-saddle; 3, the checkrein-hook; 4, one of the rein eyes or loops; 5, the saddle-pad; 6, the back or saddle strap, and 7 a strap interposed between the saddle 2 and the saddle or back strap 6 and sewed thereto. A loop 9, through which the strap 7 is passed, is pro vided on the strap 6. The strap 7 is provided with a series of buckle-holes 8. A strap carries at one end an iron loop 12, having formed integral with it a secondary loop or eye 13. The end of the strap 15 is passed through the loop 12 and doubled back over itself and sewed together, thus holding the loop 12 in place. A buckle 10, provided on the strap 15, is held in place on said strap by passing the tongue thereof through one of the holes in the strap 15. The free end of the strap is passed into the loop of the buckle lO and the tongue thereof slipped into the hole 8 of the strap 7 at the desired length and the end of the strap 7 then passed under a loop 11 on the strap 15. The strap 15 may be raised or lowered, as desired, by the adjustment of the buckle 10 on the strap 7. A strap 19 is sewed to the saddle-strap 6, and the free end of this strap passes through the lower loop of the double-looped buckle 17, provided on the girth or belly-band 18, the tongue of the buckle 17 being inserted into one of a series of holes in the strap 19. By the insertion of the tongue of the buckle 17 into the various holes of the strap 19 the girth 18 may be loosened or tightened, as desired. Only the lower loop of the buckle 17 is provided with a tongue. The upper loop is adapted to receive one end of a strap 16, which is provided on its other end with a buckle 16, the strap being so sewed as to hold its position with respect to the loop of the buckle l7 and the buckle 16, asshown in the drawings. 7

In the drawings I have shown only the left side of the harness, the right side being provided with similar straps and buckles to form a similar construction. Through the loop 13 a holdback-strap 14 passes. The other end of this strap passes through a loop 26 and is adjustable by means of a buckle 26, provided on the end thereof. The breeching-strap passes from the saddle 2 back and ends in the crupper-loop 20 and is provided with an eye or loop 22, through which passes the strap 21, provided on its ends with a series of holes;

A strap 25 passes through the loop 26 andis doubled back over itself and sewed together with a buckle 23 at itsupper end and a loop 24 near said buckle. The end of the strap 21 is passed through this buckle 23, the tongue thereof being inserted into one of the holes on said strap and the free end of the strap passed into the loop 24. A breeching-strap of the ordinary construction is passed through the loops 26 on each side of the harness and sewed.

On the shafts or thi-lls I provide a casting or plate 30 of the form shown in the drawings, fastening this casting to the shafts by means of screws 31.

In use the holdback-straps remain buckled at all times. The harness is thrown over the horses back in the usual manner. The crupper is placed over the horses tail. The girth 18 is buckled by passing the end of the strap 19 through the lower loop of the buckle 17 and inserting the tongue of the buckle 17 into the hole on the strap 19, that brings the girth to the desired tightness. The horse is then taken to the carriage or buggy, the shafts raised, and the vehicle pulled forward until the horse stands between the shafts. The strap on one side is brought about the shaft and passed through one of the loops formed by the casting and the shaft, and thence buckled into the buckle 16 on the strap 16. The person hitching up the horse then steps to the other side of the horse and in like manner fastens the other strap 15 about the shaft and the rig is ready for use.

It will be noted that the loops of the part 30 prevent the strap 15 slipping backward or forward on the shaft and the shafts slipping back or forward of the horse, and the different loops formed by the casting and the shafts provide adjustable lengths or distances at which the horse may be hitched to the vehicle.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- A shaft tug or support comprising a link, a strap attached at one end of said link and carrying between its ends a buckle for engagement with the harness-saddle, the free end of the strap adapted to be wrapped around the shaft and then passed freely through the link and attached to the girth, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof witness my hand this 14th day of January, A. D. 1898.

FREDERICK. S. LYON, BERNARD B. BRETT. 

